Pinhao to Regua

Thursday April 11 Pinhao to Regua. 

In the morning we have a leisurely walk through the town of Pinhao and visit the train station. You can take the train from Porto through the Douro Valley and in fact one stopped while we were at the station. There are 24 tile panels depicting the life, culture and history of the Douro Valley. The moors introduced the idea of tiles on walls and ceilings and they have been produced in Portugal since the 16th century. In 1937 the station received a total of about 3,047 tiles, were produced in Aleluia Cerâmicas by J. Oliveira, an artist who also decorated other stations.

Pinhao train station

We head for the Quinta de Avessada for a traditional country lunch. It is in the town of Favaios where moscatel wine was invented. It’s a high plateau which provides wonderful views. The family is now seven generations of wine and port production. The owner is delightful and enthusiastic about his Quinta. The lunch was an array of Portuguese food.

Quinta de Avessada

That evening we are treated by a wine paired dinner from Quivera where the signature dish is an Iberian pork cheek paired with a zinfandel that was very good. Time to turn in.